Health and Habits: Simple Tips for Wellness. Are you thinking about being more active? Have you been trying to cut back on less healthy foods? Are you starting to eat better and move more but having a hard time sticking with these changes?

Old habits die hard. Changing your habits is a process that involves several stages. Sometimes it takes a while before changes become new habits. And, you may face roadblocks along the way. Adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems like obesity and diabetes. New habits, like healthy eating and regular physical activity, may also help you manage your weight and have more energy. After a while, if you stick with these changes, they may become part of your daily routine.

Creating Healthy Habits

We know that making healthy choices can help us feel better and live longer. Maybe you’ve already tried to eat better, get more exercise or sleep, quit smoking, or reduce stress. It’s not easy. But research shows how you can boost your ability to create and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s frustrating to experience setbacks when you’re trying to make healthy changes and reach a goal,” says NIH behavior change expert Dr. Susan Czajkowski. “The good news is that decades of research show that change is possible, and there are proven strategies you can use to set yourself up for success.”

Lots of things you do impact your health and quality of life, now and in the future. You can reduce your risk for the most common, costly, and preventable health problems—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity—by making healthy choices.

Know Your Habits

Regular things you do—from brushing your teeth to having a few drinks every night—can become habits. Repetitive behaviors that make you feel good can affect your brain in ways that create habits that may be hard to change. Habits often become automatic—they happen without much thought.

Make a Plan

Health and Habits: Simple Tips for Wellness Make a plan that includes small, reasonable goals and specific actions you’ll take to move toward them.

“If you walk by the vending machine at work and buy junk food every afternoon, try walking a different way to eliminate that decision and bring healthy snacks from home,” Czajkowski says. “Whenever possible, make the healthy choice the easy choice.”

Consider what you think you’ll need to be successful. How can you change things around you to support your goals? You might need to stock up on healthy foods, remove temptations, or find a special spot to relax.

Get friends and loved ones involved. Research shows that people’s health behaviors tend to mirror those of their family and friends. Invite them to join you, support you, and help you stay on track.

It’s also important to plan for obstacles. Think about what might derail your best efforts to live healthier. How can you still make healthy choices during unexpected situations, in stressful times, or when tempted by old habits?

Natural Health and Nutrition Tips That Are Evidence-Based

1. Limit sugary drinks

Sugary drinks like sodas, fruit juices, and sweetened teas are the primary source of added sugar in the American diet.

Unfortunately, findings from several studies point to sugar-sweetened beverages increasing risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, even in people who are not carrying excess body fat.

Sugar-sweetened beverages are also uniquely harmful for children, as they can contribute not only to obesity in children but also to conditions that usually do not develop until adulthood, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Healthier alternatives include:

• water
• unsweetened teas
• sparkling water
• coffee

2. Eat nuts and seeds

Some people avoid nuts because they are high in fat. However, nuts and seeds are incredibly nutritious. They are packed with protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals .

Nuts may help you lose weight and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Additionally, one large observational study noted that a low intake of nuts and seeds was potentially linked to an increased risk of death from heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes.

3. Avoid ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are foods containing ingredients that are significantly modified from their original form. They often contain additives like added sugar, highly refined oil, salt, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors as well.

Examples include:

• snack cakes
• fast food
• frozen meals
• packaged cookies
• chips

4. Don’t fear coffee

Despite some controversy over it, coffee is loaded with health benefits.

It’s rich in antioxidants, and some studies have linked coffee intake to longevity and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and numerous other illnesses.

The most beneficial intake amount appears to be 3–4 cups per day, although pregnant people should limit or avoid it completely because it has been linked to low birth weight.However, it’s best to consume coffee and any caffeine-based items in moderation. Excessive caffeine intake may lead to health issues like insomnia and heart palpitations. To enjoy coffee in a safe and healthy way, keep your intake to less than 4 cups per day and avoid high-calorie, high-sugar additives like sweetened creamer.

5. Eat fatty fish

Fish is a great source of high-quality protein and healthy fat. This is particularly true of fatty fish, such as salmon, which is loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and various other nutrients.

Studies show that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk for several conditions, including heart disease, dementia, and inflammatory bowel disease.

6. Get enough sleep

The importance of getting enough quality sleep cannot be overstated.

Poor sleep can drive insulin resistance, can disrupt your appetite hormones, and reduce your physical and mental performance.  

What’s more, poor sleep is one of the strongest individual risk factors for weight gain and obesity. People who do not get enough sleep tend to make food choices that are higher in fat, sugar, and calories, potentially leading to unwanted weight gain.

7. Feed your gut bacteria

The bacteria in your gut, collectively called the gut microbiota, are incredibly important for overall health.

A disruption in gut bacteria is linked to some chronic diseases, including obesity and a myriad of digestive problems. Good ways to improve gut health include eating fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, taking probiotic supplements — when indicated — and eating plenty of fiber. Notably, fiber serves as a prebiotic, or a food source for your gut bacteria.

8. Stay hydrated

Hydration is an important and often overlooked marker of health. Staying hydrated helps ensure that your body is functioning optimally and that your blood volume is sufficient.

Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, as it’s free of calories, sugar, and additives.

Although there’s no set amount that everyone needs per day, aim to drink enough so that your thirst is adequately quenched.

9. Don’t eat heavily charred meats

Meat can be a nutritious and healthy part of your diet. It’s very high in protein and a rich source of nutrients.

However, problems occur when meat is charred or burnt. This charring can lead to the formation of harmful compounds that may increase your risk for certain cancers.

When you cook meat, try not to char or burn it. Additionally limit your consumption of red and processed meats like lunch meats and bacon as these are linked to overall cancer risk and colon cancer risk.

10. Avoid bright lights before sleep

When you’re exposed to bright lights — which contain blue light wavelengths — in the evening, it may disrupt your production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

Some ways to help reduce your blue light exposure is to wear blue light blocking glasses — especially if you use a computer or other digital screen for long periods of time — and to avoid digital screens for 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed.

This can help your body better produce melatonin naturally as evening progresses, helping you sleep better.

11. Take vitamin D if you’re deficient

Most people do not get enough vitamin D. While these widespread vitamin D inadequacies are not imminently harmful, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels can help to optimize your health by improving bone strength, reducing symptoms of depression, strengthening your immune system, and lowering your risk for cancer. If you do not spend a lot of time in the sunlight, your vitamin D levels may be low.

If you have access, it’s a great idea to have your levels tested, so that you can correct your levels through vitamin D supplementation if necessary.

12. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

Vegetables and fruits are loaded with prebiotic fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, many of which have potent health effects.

Studies show that people who eat more vegetables and fruits tend to live longer and have a lower risk for heart disease, obesity, and other illnesses.

13. Eat adequate protein

Eating enough protein is vital for optimal health, as it provides the raw materials your body needs to create new cells and tissues.

What’s more, this nutrient is particularly important for maintenance of a moderate body weight.

High protein intake may boost your metabolic rate — or calorie burn — while making you feel full. It may also reduce cravings and your desire to snack late at night.

14. Get moving

Doing aerobic exercise, or cardio, is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health.

It’s particularly effective at reducing belly fat, the harmful type of fat that builds up around your organs. Reduced belly fat may lead to major improvements in your metabolic health.

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, we should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week.

15. Don’t smoke or use drugs, and only drink in moderation

Smoking, harmful use of drugs, and alcohol abuse can all seriously negatively affect your health.

If you do any of these actions, consider cutting back or quitting to help reduce your risk for chronic diseases. Here are resources available online — and likely in your local community, as well — to help with this. Talk with your doctor to learn more about accessing resources.

How good exercise habits impact on overall health

Individuals who changed their behaviours to sustain a habit of moderate-intensity exercise reduced their common-cause mortality risk by 27%, according to the research.

As people age, these benefits are amplified further: for 45 to 64-year-olds, maintaining this moderate exercise habit over three years can reduce mortality risk by 38%. For over-65s, the reduction is closer to 52%. So the impact of healthier habits is also elastic: people who are older and sicker have the most to gain from a few lifestyle changes.Perhaps most encouragingly for our health, good habits are protective: those who do 7,500 steps five times per week for two years can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by 41% and their risk of stage 4 cancer by 36%.

The data also demonstrates the power of something as simple as steps – a universal unit of currency to measure physical activity and transform health.The data suggests that an average of 7,500 steps per day has a significant impact on mortality, and the impact increases with age. But it lends a cautionary warning for us setting ambitious targets for those who are inactive or less physically active: the marginal mortality benefits plateau between 7,500 and 8,000 steps.

How to form positive health habits at population level

Knowing the benefit of healthy habits only gets us so far. How do we change behaviour to form health habits at a population level? Let’s start with the science of habit formation.

It takes seven to 15 weeks to form a strong habit, with more than 80% of participating members forming a strong habit within this timeframe. Further analysis shows that of those 80%, approximately 75% developed a strong habit within 10 weeks.

The research further shows that the key to forming good habits is gradual and consistent behaviour change – with incentives often providing a helpful kickstart. A gradual step progression yields higher achievement levels and lower drop-off rates.

Promoting healthy habit formation to improve public health

These findings provide powerful and tangible evidence for governments and health policy-makers to promote healthy habit formation to improve public health.

Firstly, it provides a core approach for anyone wanting to step up their physical activity habits. Habit laddering is the most effective pattern to form and sustain strong habits that leads to positive health outcomes. Key points are:

• Set a target based on where you are in your health journey.
• Start small and choose an activity that’s easy and practical. Focus on building frequency and consistency.
• Repeat an activity for six to eight weeks before you try to increase the intensity of the activity.

Governments and policy-makers should also consider targeted, short-term incentivization programmes to encourage gradual formation of habits with demonstrate health impacts and invest in initiatives across urban environments and wellness schemes to foster active lifestyles.

Businesses also have a role to play in improving societal health. They can develop a health and wellbeing strategy, with relevant and targeted interventions for their employee to protect and improve their health.